More information on Utah drug rehab, treatment, and addiction recovery.
Glutamate- the Glue of Memories When dopamine is released in response to an individual performing a survival behavior like eating, drinking, or having sex, it is followed by a secondary chemical release of glutamate. Glutamate is a chemical that combines the sensory experiences of sight, sound, smell, taste, and vision into a cohesive experience, in…
Craving Once the human brain has crossed the threshold into addiction, it never goes completely back. The midbrain, convinced of the necessity of the drug for resolving feelings of stress or discomfort, will cause what we call ‘cravings.’ Cravings are an intense state of physiological arousal (fight or flight response) specifically circling around the intense…
Dopamine and Reward Diseases involve a defective or damaged organ or body part, such as the pancreas, in the disease of diabetes. In hypothyroidism, it is the thyroid that is not functioning properly. In addiction, it is the brain. Recent neuroscientific research has been able to reveal some specific areas of the brain that are…
Description: Sober living is a place where addicts live together to support each other in early recovery. Programs vary in intensity and requirements. Some are simply houses where addicts live together. Others have house meetings, curfews, weekly requirements, bed checks, medication disbursement, etc. Advantages: Sober living can provide a lot more security for an addict…
The facts about alcohol and drug use are scary for parents of teenagers or 30 somethings. But kids don’t come with a manual. So, how should parents talk about drugs? First of all, it is important to recognize that almost everyone has been or will be exposed to drugs and alcohol. Most addicts start their…
Many addicts do not start on the road of addiction by experimenting with drugs. Thousands upon thousands of Americans are prescribed pain medication each year, for everything from tooth pain to cancer. Some of them become addicted to the pain medication. As their tolerance to the drug increases, opiate addicts begin to seek other means…
Is exercise really necessary in recovery? What kind of exercise is best? How much, how hard, and how frequently should I exercise? How do I know if I am exercising too much? As an addictions therapist at a Utah Rehab Center, these are some common questions I hear about exercise in recovery. Exercise is a…
Having worked with addicts of all different ages, substance types, and attitudes, it has been interesting to note the commonality of the factor of alcohol. In the Utah addiction rehab where I work, we stress the importance of total abstinence in recovery from any drug, always including abstinence from alcohol. Alcohol is a substance that…
So many of the clients I have worked with, in recovery, have struggled with the issue of old friends that still use. It is a subject that comes up regularly in treatment. Whether we are treating a client who has been through treatment or is just starting, the warning is the same. Keeping old using…
When you quit using drugs your brain has adapted to, you go through a period of imbalance in brain chemistry. Neurological processes begin anew, trying to repair the damage done by the drugs as well as replace dead brain cells and balance neurotransmitter production. Simply put, the brain is out of balance. In recovery, it…
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